Ricky Sebastian was born in Opelousas, LA, and moved to New Orleans after attending Berklee College of Music in 1976. Rick holds a Master’s Degree in Music from the University of New Orleans. He moved to NYC in 1983 and over the next 17 years became an in demand performer, recording & touring artist, composer, and arranger. He taught drums at the infamous Drummers Collective in New York for 13 years. Rick returned to New Orleans in 1998 and has become a top music educator as a professor at UNO, band director at the International School of LA, the Heritage School of Music, and teaches private lessons at Spreading the Music. Rick has one CD as a leader entitled “The Spirit Within” and is the author of “Independence on the Drum Set” published by Hal Leonard.

Some of the artists Rick has performed and recorded with include: Jaco Pastorius, Paul Butterfield, Les McCann, Nneena Freelon, Dr. John, Larry Coryell, Blood Sweat & Tears, Bobby McFerrin John Scofield, Mike Stern, Michael Franks, Harry Belafonte, Dianne Reeves, Ellis Marsalis, John Lucien, Tania Maria, Donald Harrison Jr., and Herbie Mann to name a few. He has played drums and percussion on close to 300 records in his career and has performed at every major Jazz Festival in the world.

Rick began formally studying snare drum at age 8, and drum set at age 15. He was self-taught until attending Berklee in 1976. He hold a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies from UNO.

Rick currently teaches in New Orleans at UNO, the Heritage School of Music, ISL, the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, and gives private lessons at Spreading the Music.

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